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Sortilège (1936) (Extrait) by Le Galion

Sortilège 1936 Extrait

Version from 1936
Pluto
01/25/2015 - 08:36 AM
19
Top Review
8Scent 7.5Longevity 5Sillage

Sortilège - a Spell

Sortilège, this name came to me as a teenager and I was fascinated by it. My sister, 8 years older, was already working and told me about a colleague who wore a fragrance called Sortilège. My sister admired this colleague a little, and I imagined her and this scent to be elegant, expensive, and mysterious. Just as only teenagers can form an idea based on a name. I didn't get to know this fragrance back then, and eventually, the name faded from memory. Thanks to Angelliese's comment, the memory was revived, and I added this fragrance to my watchlist.

Now I was able to test the vintage version. The opening of the fragrance is a bit overwhelming; aldehydes and bergamot hit intensely, and civet is also immediately strong and makes the start unpleasant for me. Civet doesn’t always come out nicely on my skin; my husband bluntly calls it "cat pee." But this note quickly retreats, and a delicate soapiness with a lovely spiciness spreads. Indeed, this fragrance is elegant and mysterious, just as I had imagined it as a teenager. Sortilège means spell, and the name fits. A bouquet of flowers unfolds, all the flowers harmoniously blend into one another; I think I can recognize rose and the sharp, spicy warmth of a clove. This slightly powdery and unsweetened floral dream ends in a warm, soft, and herbal base of vanilla and wood. Sortilège, a charming, old-fashioned fragrance that reminds me a bit of classics like Chantilly and Emeraude.

The sillage is only strong at the beginning, then it recedes; the longevity is good. Sortilège is reserved for ladies, and I really mean ladies. Thanks to Titania, it’s wonderful that I got to sniff this fragrance after so many years. And indeed, it comes very close to my former impression.
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12 Comments
pudelbonzopudelbonzo 11 years ago
I've only heard about the scent so far. Thanks for the lovely description.
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DobbsDobbs 11 years ago
I'm glad for you that the idea and reality came together so well here.
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ParfumAholicParfumAholic 11 years ago
Thank you for your lovely comment! I'm glad to hear that your "trip down memory lane" was so successful!
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IngerInger 11 years ago
Oh yes! Our men have to put up with quite a bit... But that fragrance sounds lovely!!
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OrmeliOrmeli 11 years ago
A magic, despite the cat pee; it must be quite an extraordinary perfume. :-)
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HexanaHexana 11 years ago
The cat pee... for fine ladies: this contradiction in itself is already intriguing - I would love to try it too.
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PaloneraPalonera 11 years ago
I'm not a lady, but since "Sortilège" now has two such strong advocates, I think I'll go on a little search...
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MeggiMeggi 11 years ago
It's nice that your husband speaks openly. I have a similar wife. Very refreshing. Sometimes.
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ErgoproxyErgoproxy 11 years ago
*Tenaladydalass*:))
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KleopatraKleopatra 11 years ago
Nope, I'm not a "lady," but it's always exciting to get to know such old treasures!
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GaukeleyaGaukeleya 11 years ago
That's true, it's very ladylike -- I casually tested it in a department store as a teenager, but even at that age, I didn't think it was too bad: in the early 80s, you got used to a lot, and I thought that's just how a fine women's perfume smells ^^
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PreciousPrecious 11 years ago
I also loved the women's "Sortilège" very much. So melodic. Now I find out that it means "magic." What a romantic name. I smelled it once as a teenager, and according to the H&R list, it belongs to the family of aldehyde fragrances.
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